% Darwin College Library Committee - David MacKay \documentstyle[12pt]{article}\oddsidemargin=-0.5in\textwidth=6.95in\topmargin=-0.95in\textheight=10.95in\begin{document}\newcommand{\ben}{\begin{enumerate}}\newcommand{\een}{\end{enumerate}}\pagestyle{empty} \subsection*{Darwin College Library Committee} Minutes of the meeting held Mon 28th January 2003 at 6pm, in the Seminar Room. \\ \medskip \noindent Present: David MacKay (djcm1) [Fellow Librarian], Espen Koht (ehk20) [Computer Officer], Christian Goeschel (cag41) [Student Librarian], Ariane Kossack (ak280) [Student Librarian], Vasiliki Tsakali (vt218), Deborah Pino (dsp26), Jim Endersby (jje21), John Craig (jsc1004), Andrew Bell (agb38), Vikram Negi (vn218) [Council representative, DCSA president], Mike Sitch (dcsa-coms@dar) [for DCSA rep], Elisabeth Leedham-Green (el17). % Apologies: \noindent Apologies: Pamela Abbott (pya20), Jason Hawkes (dcsa-welfare@dar) [DCSA representative]. \ben \item Minutes of the meeting held on Mon 21st October 2002 were confirmed. \item 2002 Book check. About 60 books that were missing at the stockcheck have been returned; the number still missing is now about 363. \item It was agreed that a flat screen should be purchased for use in a computer terminal dedicated to viewing the UL catalogue. The terminal will be placed alongside the checkout terminal. \item Tamper-proof `returns' book bin / postbox. The committee records its thanks to the Clerk of Works for a splendid job. \item Book purchases. The CUP allocation must be spent by 30 September 2003. It was agreed to ask CUP if they would in addition donate to us a set of Darwin's letters (which have a cost of about \pounds 1000). The question of purchasing policy was visited again, in the light of the steadily increasing number of MPhil students. It was agreed to stick to the current policy, which is to solicit book recommendations from all members, with an emphasis on books of general interest. Textbooks may also be purchased if they are not expensive and are expected to have a long-lasting utility to students. \item Magazine subscriptions. It was agreed that the whole system for magazines and newspapers in the college deserves attention. The reading room is often untidy. Perhaps the College Council could consider how to improve the situation? The committee felt that it would be appropriate for the College to subscribe to some additional magazines of general interest (titles such as Harvard Business Review or New Scientist were mentioned), but that such magazines would belong in the Reading Room rather than in the library. The DCSA would also ask members to request suggestions for magazine titles from students. \item Donations. It was agreed that students should be encouraged to donate books to the Library when they leave Cambridge. It was suggested that the librarians be authorized to buy textbooks (that would be appropriate for the library) from departing students, for a nominal price. It was agreed that this was an idea worth trying. \item Fines for overdue books. The college council minutes recorded that a few members of the council were uncomfortable with the fines policy the library committee had suggested, even though the policy was in our view the most lenient and friendly possible. Vikram Negi expressed the view that non-return of books by members should not be viewed as a big issue. However the majority of the library committee affirmed that the current rate of loss of books is unsatisfactory, and that the problem does not appear to be theft (since many books are voluntarily checked out and then not returned), but rather the inability of the Librarians to make the honest but busy member return the book. The committee agreed to recommend to the College Council that the policy be adopted for a trial period of one year initially and reviewed. {\bf If a book has not been returned within two months of its due date, if at least two warnings have been issued to the borrower (at least one by email and one by paper), and if at least one month has elapsed since the second such warning, then the librarians may issue a fine equal to the replacement cost of the missing book (or a lesser sum, at the discretion of the librarians); fines are placed on the member's college bill. A member who wishes to dispute the appropriateness of a fine should request a meeting with the Dean and one of the librarians; the Dean's decision will be final. } The tamper-proof returns bin is now in place and works well. \item Vesalius. A meeting of Elizabeth Leedham-Green, Jim Endersby, David MacKay, and an expert will be arranged shortly by EL-G, to get advice on care of the Vesalius. \item Children's section. Deborah Pino circulated a list of about 30 cut-price books, some of them second hand, proposed for purchase at a cost of about 100 pounds. The committee approved this list and thanked Deborah warmly. The future growth of the children's section will be discussed once feedback from members with children is received on this initial acquisition. It was confirmed that the {\em Harry Potter\/} books have already been ordered for the Adult section of the library. \item Finley Collection. CG reported a number of missing volumes on shelves. It was believed that some collected works of Nietzsche were missing, though they might be shelved elsewhere. The stockcheck will be consulted to confirm the status of these books. The University Classics Librarian has access to the Collection and can allow borrowing from it. Andrew Bell agreed to investigate whether the Classics Librarian has any knowledge of borrowed books, and whether they at present have keys to the study centre and/or the Finley shelves; and also to investigate whether old Finley Fellows of the College have any knowledge of borrowing from the Finley Collection. \item Date of next meeting: Tuesday 24 June at 6pm. \een % % Actions: DJCM to write annual report circa November % \medskip {\tt http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/darlib/minutes.html } \hfill DJCM \today \end{document}